Team

A native Coloradan, Dave Young is honored, humbled, and excited to serve as Colorado State Treasurer. Dave taught math, science, and technology at Heath Junior High in Greeley from 1975 to 1999. He worked for two years as an information architect with iXL, an international Web design firm, and another two years as a coder for a small programming company in Colorado Springs that performed DoD programming for NORAD. For nearly a decade, Dave worked as a senior instructor for the Information and Learning Technologies program at CU - Denver.

He never planned to enter politics, but Dave’s younger sister is challenged with significant disabilities and he could see the difficulties she had getting care. He learned his sister wasn’t the only one struggling to get essential services, and decided to run for office to fix a system that was taking advantage of the most vulnerable in our society.

Appointed to the Colorado legislature from House District 50 in 2011, Dave was then elected to that position in 2012. He was re-elected twice more. Throughout his career, Dave has seen first-hand how pivotal education and training are for opening opportunities for people. That’s why he was pleased to be appointed to serve on the following committees: House Public Health Care and Human Services, Education, Health, Insurance and Environment, Transportation, and Appropriations. In November 2014, Dave was appointed to the Joint Budget Committee and as the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Dave earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics at Colorado State University, and a Masters in Information and Learning Technologies at CU Denver. He is married to Mary Young, Ph.D., who has worked in the Greeley schools and neighboring school districts through the Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). She has been a special education teacher, a special education coordinator, and a school psychologist. She is now the State Representative for HD 50 (Greeley, Evans, and Garden City).  Dave’s sister, who is challenged with intellectual and developmental disabilities, lives in Pueblo West.

Dave was sworn in as Colorado State Treasurer in January 2019. As State Treasurer, Dave has advocated for legislation that centers economic justice, including college savings accounts, small business loan funding, and the Colorado Secure Savings Program.

James Eke serves as Director of Capital Financing for the Colorado Department of the Treasury and Board Trustee for the Centennial State Liquid Investment Pool (CSLIP). A dedicated public servant with over two decades of financial leadership, James oversees statewide capital financing strategy, treasury operations, market execution, and enterprise liquidity management. Driven by a commitment to public advocacy, he ensures the state’s financial frameworks are optimized to deliver long-term value for the people of Colorado.

In his current role, James exercises overarching stewardship of Colorado’s capital financing portfolio and core treasury functions. He advises senior state leadership, legislators, and agency executives on long-range capital strategy, oversees SEC regulatory compliance, and directs complex market transactions. Demonstrating forward-looking financial governance, he co-authored a landmark statewide study on blockchain-based financing mechanisms to inform innovative legislative strategies. Previously, from 2020 through 2024, he also provided executive oversight for the state’s CLIMBER economic recovery lending initiative.

James’s executive background spans comprehensive financial governance across both the public and corporate sectors. At the Colorado Department of Public Safety, he directed financial oversight, policy compliance, and multi-division grant administration across state law enforcement entities. As Senior Manager of Treasury for Denver Public Schools, he guided enterprise-wide cash positioning, operational liquidity strategies, and capital election campaign finance. His corporate foundation includes leading global treasury functions, risk management, and capital operations for a multinational medical device manufacturer, a national building materials corporation, and global mining companies.

A proud Colorado native, James grew up in Lakewood (Go Rams!) and earned a B.S. in Banking & Finance from Metropolitan State University of Denver, followed by a dual MBA in Finance/Accounting and Operations Management from Regis University. He resides in Castle Rock with his wife, Melissa, and their family that includs several 4 legged members. Outside of his executive duties, he enjoys exploring Colorado through camping, off-roading, skiing, golfing, and visiting local restaurants and craft breweries.